NBJC Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Jewel Thais-Williams
WASHINGTON — Dr. David J. Johns, CEO and Executive Director of the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC), issued the following statement on the passing of Jewel Thais-Williams, the legendary founder of Jewel’s Catch One and a pioneer in the fight for Black LGBTQ+ liberation:
“Jewel Thais-Williams was more than an icon; she was a guiding force for generations of Black LGBTQ+ people who longed to be seen, celebrated, and safe. She was a tireless advocate, a revolutionary, and the matriarch of a movement that has always depended on our ability to dance, love, and survive.
“In opening the doors of Catch One in the 1970s, Jewel carved out sacred space for queer Black joy in the middle of a world that too often met us with violence and rejection. When others turned away during the AIDS crisis, Jewel turned toward community and safe spaces for Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same-gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) people, co-founding the Minority AIDS Project, establishing Rue’s House for women and children living with HIV, and creating the Village Health Foundation to ensure access to life-saving care.
“NBJC honors Jewel’s lifetime of service and the joy she made possible. We send our condolences to her wife, Rue, and all who carry forward her legacy of care and community. We will continue to build the world she knew was possible—one rooted in Black freedom, love, and infinite possibility.”